Blink:

Being a food futurist, I aman advocate/supporter of the current transformation for a healthier global food system. Numerous solutions mitigating climate change are interconnected. Consequently, I rely on numerous sources to get a better understanding of what is going on. Today I address an innovative soil management solution.

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Biochar technology is being evaluated for carbon sequestration to help mitigate climate change, improve soil quality, as well as reduce waste. Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by burning agricultural and forestry waste (a.k.a. biomass) via a unique controlled process (pyrolysis) into a more stable cleaner form of carbon that cannot easily escape into the atmosphere compared to other forms of charcoal. In addition, the energy or heat created during pyrolysis can be captured and used as a form of clean energy.  

Ongoing research is being conducted to explore ways to apply biochar to soil to lock in carbon. Recently Swiss scientists fed dairy cows a small amount of biochar. They learned the biochar survived the cows’ hearty digestion and resisted decomposition (98% made it out the other side intact) as their dung was dispersed and enriched the soil. Note: The researchers also recorded a reduction in the methane emissions for the cows’ fed biochar.

“No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered.” – Winston Churchill